I Know You
by RockingTheGraveyard
Summary: She had beautiful honey brown eyes, freckles across her nose and long blond hair. Ace could swear that he'd never seen her before but she was so familiar.
1. Chapter 1

Ace opened his eyes to a blinding whiteness but as quickly as it came, it faded. The first thing he saw was a night sky that was anything but dark. It was filled with more stars than he thought to be in the sky. They shone bright and lit up the world around him. Which appeared to be a large body of water. I motionless ocean and he was somehow standing in the middle of it just upon the water.

He looked down at the water to see his reflection staring back. He flinched and stumbled back when an image flashed when he met his own eyes. Ace was suddenly overwhelmed by the phantom stench of burning hair and flesh. An all too fresh pain bloomed in his chest. It was then he remembered the large brown eyes looking up in horror. It was then Portgas D. Ace remembered he was very much dead.

Slowly he opened his eyes he clenched tightly shut. Ace held his breath when he looked down to his reflection once again. A shuddering sigh escaped him when he saw his chest was free of the blood and blackened skin. He was relieved beyond compare that the gaping hole in his body was not there. Not in this world, wherever this world may be.

Ace tilted his head as something came into focus by his feet. Somehow a strange petal floated along the water, followed by more until the flower it belonged to drifted past him along an invisible current. Ace followed the trail coming from behind him with his eyes. Slowly he turned and followed the flowers until his eyes met with a pair of bare feet and slender legs that were covered with a pale blue fabric. He jolted back and quickly looked up to meet a woman's eyes.

He stared in silent wonder at the woman, taking note as she did the same. Her tan face, just lighter than his own, was framed by dark blonde hair. But not like Marco's nor Sabo's, her hair had an almost pinkish quality to his. Like him, freckles dusted her face across her nose. And her eyes were a soft honey brown that did not break their graze into his storm gray ones. Tucked behind her ear was one of the very same flowers that floated in the water. She look so _familiar_.

Ace suddenly turned his focus as the woman raised her right arm. He held still, unable to bring himself to move as her fingers hovered, nearly touching his cheek. Slowly and gently she brushed her fingers lightly against his skin. Ace sucked in a sharp breath as his eyes darted back to meet hers.

"I know you." She whispered. Her voice was low and smooth. And for reasons he couldn't comprehend, it melted away his fears. Like it was some magic spell to ease his mind and calm him down. Because he _knows_ her too, he is sure of it.

"Ace" she whispers with such emotion. Her hand cups his cheek and the other hand reaches up too, both gently holding his face. Suddenly the stunning world around him disappears.

"My Ace" she smiles at him so warming and lovingly. Her brown eyes tear up and they roll down her freckled cheeks. And Ace knows who she is now. He has dreamed of this his entire life. What this woman looked like, how she sounded, how she'd say his name. It was everything he wished for as a child. Seeing her face, hearing her voice, feeling the warmth of her hands on his cheeks. Ace didn't even realize when he too began to cry.

"Mom"


	2. Chapter 2

"Mom."

The woman standing before him, Portgas D. Rouge, his mother. The woman who had given her life for his. Ace didn't have the words. What did one say to the mother who died giving birth to you? He didn't even dare move as her hands held his face. As her fingers brushed his cheeks. He just watched her.

"You're beautiful." Ace breathes, he doesn't even think about what he's said before her eyes dart back to his and his cheeks grow hot. Knows that the red has spread to his shoulders. But she Smile and his heart stops. Or, it would, if his heart were still beating.

"You have my face." Rouge says with a breathy laugh, that could easily be mistaken for a sob. And it catches Ace's breath. Because Garp said he was a good mix between his parents. Whitebeard said he resembled his mother but Ace never believed them. He couldn't see it. To hear her say it. Ace bit his trembling lip and leaned into her touch.

So focused on her touch, on the feeling welling in his chest, Ace didn't notice the fragile smile slip from her face. As more tears traced their path down her cheeks. "You look so. . ." Ace opened his eyes and watched something akin to horror creep upon her face. Startled he stood straight and backed up a little. Scared what that meant. Scared that she let him.

"How-" she sucked in a shaky breath, seemingly trying to find her words "-how old are you?" It has Ace furrowing his brows, head tilted in confusion. What did that matter? And yet, he still hesitated. Ace swallowed and shame rose. This is the woman who died for him and now he's dead. He didn't know how she'd react to that. He has lived a long enough life, he supposed. Seen and done more than many. But. . .he's still only. . .

"I'm twenty." The reaction was instant and he flinched when her hands clasped over her mouth. Rouge looked at him, the ground, at the petals that still floated by. Looking for some kind of answer he didn't know the question to.

"How-" she choked, shaking her head. "You're - you're so young." It was like all the energy was leaving her body as she sank to her knees. And a pit opened up in Ace's stomach. It was so much. To many things happening at once. One moment she seemed to be happy to seem and now she was on the ground, the motionless water, sobbing in a way Ace knew the feeling of. Once again he was just completely lost and helpless.

"Please don't cry. I. . I'm sor-"

"I'm sorry" Rouge broke through her sobs. "I'm so, so sorry." Ace sank down to his knees, unable, unwilling to stand any longer as she look up at him. She looked so . . . so sad. So heartbroken. "I wasn't there for you. I was never there for you." Rouge looked down and clasped her hands tightly to her chest. "You're my baby I had left you in this world all alone and I'm so sorry."

Ace couldn't take it anymore. In a moment he was in front of her, with his hand held out. Hesitant to touch her. But he did, resting his hand on hers. Rouge's hands smaller under his than he'd thought they be. "Please." He whispered and she looked up again.

"You've given everything for me. You-" Ace looked away, unable to hold her red rimmed eyes anymore. "You d- you died for me." An all too familiar ache in his chest rising again, he gave up trying to understand why she did. Fingers gently rested against his chin and Ace let Rouge guide his sight to hers again.

"I would give my life a thousand times over." She said back with a wobbly smile. "I would have given more if I could." Rouge says in a shaky small voice but with so much conviction that he couldn't even consider doubting it. It hurts. What did he do to deserve this devotion. This love. Ace doesn't understand and it hurt. And Ace didn't understand why the pain in his chest hurt in a way that made him happy.

"I don't regret it." Ace nearly shouts it in her face and Rouge is tilting her head. And he's momentarily distracted by the familiar way she looks up at him confused. "The way I di-" he chokes on the word. He's dead and it's a hard pill to swallow but "- I saved my little brother." Ace smiles the best he can and tightens his hold over her hands. "I don't regret this, I saved my little brother." He explains as steadily as he can because he needs Rouge to understand.

With hesitation, in jerking motions, Ace slowly brought his hand to her face. Resting his hand over her cheek so lightly, like he was afraid he was going to hurt her. Like one touch and she would crumble away. But he brushed his thumb over her cheek, wiping away her tears. "Please don't cry." He says in a breathy whisper.

They stay there for a moment before Rouge leans into the touch and covers his hand with hers. Then she asks, in a soft, sweet voice "little brother?" and Ace can hear the echoes of groans in his head. Familiar phantom voices telling her no, that she'll regret it. A part of him doesn't think she will.

"Yeah, my little brother. Monkey D. Luffy." He still laughs at how silly it sounds, but this always needs to be followed up. "He's the future king of the pirates."


End file.
